Imagine leaving the high-speed world of Wall Street for the heart-to-heart connections of community service. That's exactly what Christine Fitzgerald, my esteemed guest and co-founder of the Smithtown Children's Foundation, did. Join us as we navigate her extraordinary journey from finance to philanthropy, discussing the foundation's inception and how it became a beacon of hope for families in the throes of crisis. We delve into the realities of local charity, the judgments faced, and how the foundation has debunked the myth that affluent communities don't struggle. Christine's story is a testament to the power of compassion and the profound difference a community can make when it rallies together.
This episode isn't just about charitable giving; it's a celebration of community synergy and the unsung heroes among us. We unpack how strategic partnerships and events, like Subaru's heartwarming coat donation and the Smithtown Chamber of Commerce's buzzing local activities, have galvanized support and brought warmth (quite literally!) to those in need. The tales of the Avalon apartment fires and how swiftly our community mobilized to provide help showcase the incredible strength of unity in times of adversity. Christine and I reflect on how every individual's effort, no matter how small, contributes to a tapestry of support that holds the power to uplift entire neighborhoods.
For those wondering how to lend a hand, Christine offers a treasure trove of insights. From polar plunges to fundraising events, there's an array of ways to engage with the Smithtown Children's Foundation. Whether you're a local business owner looking to make a difference or an individual eager to volunteer, this episode guides you through the myriad of opportunities to contribute. As we wrap up, we're reminded that the spirit of giving isn't just about opening wallets—it's about opening hearts. So if you're ready to be part of a community that takes action and cares deeply, this is one conversation you won't want to miss.
Learn more about Smithtown Children's Foundation: https://www.smithtownchildrensfoundation.com/
Network with other entrepreneurs and get access to monthly free live trainings: https://bit.ly/38w3VNi
Download our free Podcast Gear Guide: http://www.LaunchMyPodcastShow.com
Follow us: https://www.facebook.com/dontfeargrit
https://www.instagram.com/dontfeargrit/
Imagine leaving the high-speed world of Wall Street for the heart-to-heart connections of community service. That's exactly what Christine Fitzgerald, my esteemed guest and co-founder of the Smithtown Children's Foundation, did. Join us as we navigate her extraordinary journey from finance to philanthropy, discussing the foundation's inception and how it became a beacon of hope for families in the throes of crisis. We delve into the realities of local charity, the judgments faced, and how the foundation has debunked the myth that affluent communities don't struggle. Christine's story is a testament to the power of compassion and the profound difference a community can make when it rallies together.
This episode isn't just about charitable giving; it's a celebration of community synergy and the unsung heroes among us. We unpack how strategic partnerships and events, like Subaru's heartwarming coat donation and the Smithtown Chamber of Commerce's buzzing local activities, have galvanized support and brought warmth (quite literally!) to those in need. The tales of the Avalon apartment fires and how swiftly our community mobilized to provide help showcase the incredible strength of unity in times of adversity. Christine and I reflect on how every individual's effort, no matter how small, contributes to a tapestry of support that holds the power to uplift entire neighborhoods.
For those wondering how to lend a hand, Christine offers a treasure trove of insights. From polar plunges to fundraising events, there's an array of ways to engage with the Smithtown Children's Foundation. Whether you're a local business owner looking to make a difference or an individual eager to volunteer, this episode guides you through the myriad of opportunities to contribute. As we wrap up, we're reminded that the spirit of giving isn't just about opening wallets—it's about opening hearts. So if you're ready to be part of a community that takes action and cares deeply, this is one conversation you won't want to miss.
Learn more about Smithtown Children's Foundation: https://www.smithtownchildrensfoundation.com/
Network with other entrepreneurs and get access to monthly free live trainings: https://bit.ly/38w3VNi
Download our free Podcast Gear Guide: http://www.LaunchMyPodcastShow.com
Follow us: https://www.facebook.com/dontfeargrit
https://www.instagram.com/dontfeargrit/
The show is about to start in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. This is Don't Fear Great, with Wabtower Mina marketing strategies and advertising technologies to help you build a better business. Welcome back to the only show on all of the interweb that matters. That is Don't Fear Great. And I've got an amazing guest with me today in studio, a dear friend in the community and probably one of the most important people in our community, and I'm honored, honestly, to have her here on the show. But, christine, welcome. Why don't you introduce yourself and let everyone know who you are and what you represent?
Speaker 2:Thank you. Thanks, rob. Hi, I'm Chris Fitzgerald. I am one of the co-founders of the Smithtown Children's Foundation. I am the executive director currently. We've been around about 15 years helping local families in the community Everything from bill paying to sending kids to camp, to backpacks and school supplies, adopting families at the holidays we kind of do it all. It's kind of somebody says I need help and we say let's talk about what you need, let's talk about how we can best help you.
Speaker 1:Not every town has an organization like you, and if they did, they'd be better. But let's get to sort of the start. What prompted you to want to start Smithtown Children's Foundation?
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I should say our legal name is Branch Brook Children's Foundation. And when we did that, people said so you can only help families if they went to Branch.
Speaker 1:Brook.
Speaker 2:Elementary and we're like okay, we don't want to confuse people.
Speaker 1:DBA.
Speaker 2:Smithtown Children's. Foundation so yeah, so we're one and the same if you come across both. I had no intention of run a charity. I spent 15 years on Wall Street. My husband was an air traffic controller. My kids were young. We moved out here from Nassau County. I was PTA mom.
Speaker 1:What part of Nassau County did you guys see?
Speaker 2:Seaford. Oh, is that right? Both my husband and I yeah.
Speaker 1:Oh okay, I actually grew up in East Meadow, so we're both Nassau County people, I guess. Yeah, four, ten minutes of poor.
Speaker 2:That's right. We both got on the SOB to go somewhere, that's exactly right.
Speaker 1:Oh my goodness.
Speaker 2:People are like what's the SOB? Yeah, Seaford or Stavage Expressway.
Speaker 1:That's exactly right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so we moved out here. My children were young and my neighbor's daughter at age four was diagnosed with stage four neuroblast.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh and she was a twin and she had an older sister who was my son's age. We saw them on the bus stop every day and when we found out this little girl was sick, my husband and I said let's run a fundraiser for them. So we decided to do a golf outing, because we've done that for other people in the past. And as we were running the golf outing I found out two other ladies who knew the family were planning a dinner dance. So I asked the mom give me one of their numbers. So my name is Christine. I called up this other woman her name is Christie and I said well, that's funny, she goes. No, it's really funny is that the third woman is Christina.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, so we're Christine, christina and Christie. Yeah, gotta be kidding me Wow.
Speaker 2:We were in the golf outing, we were in the dinner dance. Now the holidays come and we're like we need to do something. This little girl maybe wasn't in school because she was sick, and sadly, when a child is sick and they're not in school, the kids kind of go on with their day and don't think much about it. But she was a twin and she had a sibling that was three years older. So these kids thought about this pretty much every day.
Speaker 2:We said we need to do something. So we planned a holiday breakfast and Maureen's kitchen actually came in and cooked for us and Jack goes deli made their egg sandwich.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:We had music, we had Santa we did vendors in the gym at the school. So we did those three events and we were like we're finishing each other's sentences. My husband goes if you three knuckleheads, don't start a non-for-profit you are crazy. And we're like. I was a stay-home mom. We had a home-based business, my husband and I. The other lady was a teacher and the third one was a stay-home mom, but she is a medical doctor.
Speaker 1:Oh, wow.
Speaker 2:And we were like, okay, what should we do? So I woke up one morning and one of the Christsis not me called me and said I couldn't sleep last night. And I said, yeah, I went online and I filed we're going to be a charity.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, you're kidding me. Okay, we're doing this and we did.
Speaker 2:So yeah, and she named us Branch Brook Children's Foundation and that's when I got confusing.
Speaker 1:But I said what's?
Speaker 2:our mission. So our mission is just to help local families in crisis by bridging family, friends, neighbors and local businesses to act as one in times of crisis.
Speaker 2:So it was vague enough that we could kind of do what we thought we could accomplish, depending on what the need of the family might be. We also people would say, oh, is it only if a child is sick? Well, no, because if mom or dad or the main caregiver is sick, or a single parent and they're struggling, that affects everybody in the household. So that's how we started.
Speaker 1:Oh, my goodness, you know what they say, like you know in life, like necessity is the mother of invention, and it doesn't just go with inventing things. It goes with also organizing charities that field, or rather provide a solution to, you know, serious things, and in this case, you guys came up with the idea. But here's the thing it's one thing to come up with the idea. It's another thing, though, to have the people able and willing to actually acute upon that, execute on that right Exactly, and it's like the perfect three to come together at the right time.
Speaker 2:And I didn't know them.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh Wow.
Speaker 2:Their children were the age of this little girl who was sick, and my youngest was three years older. So, my path probably wouldn't have crossed them.
Speaker 1:Wild.
Speaker 2:Right, yeah, so that's how that happened. And it's funny too because so my background on Wall Street I worked in research and equity research, which in Wall Street terms that's kind of like the library. It was all very serious and everybody's researching and you know, and they used to say to me, the woman who was my like oversaw the research assistants. She was from the South and she said I always know when you're not here, chris, and I'm like. I think she just insulted me Because I'm loud, because I'm loud, I don't think she was like.
Speaker 1:I miss you when you're not here. Okay.
Speaker 2:Right, right, okay so my boss was moving to Texas. He followed oil companies. And they wanted him to be more involved with the investment banking which, if you follow oil companies, you go to Texas. So I'm like, oh, am I going to work for her? Well, he and the woman who ran what was called the research meeting were conspiring behind me to bring me down to the trading floor to work with her because she knew she was moving on. They told me Maureen needs help running the morning meeting and being the liaison on the trading.
Speaker 1:Oh, interesting.
Speaker 2:And I love. I mean, this is where they're all screaming.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah.
Speaker 2:This is where I belong.
Speaker 1:Right, by the way, high stress environment, though Loved it.
Speaker 2:Wow, loved it.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 2:So I worked with her for two weeks. She took a week's vacation.
Speaker 1:Okay so.
Speaker 2:Maureen, who's going to run the meeting you are?
Speaker 1:Oh my goodness, I have two weeks of experience, she goes.
Speaker 2:you can do this.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And I did. And I mean, they heard it all over. You know Sweden heard it, london heard it, they, you know they. Yeah, so it was, it was, it was wild. So I was kind of the organizer. I kind of organized the me, organized the analyst.
Speaker 1:Oh, wow.
Speaker 2:And I came to the non doing the nonprofit? Yeah, I'm like okay, I can do this I got this. I can do this, you know, and, and Kristi and Christina had great creative ideas and, as you say, got things done.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so the three of us.
Speaker 2:Now, at some point Kristi had to step back. So we and we had built an advisory board of people to help us and we said, okay, we need to have, you know, an uneven number on the executive board to make decisions for voting and who should we ask from the advisory board? And we asked ready Kristi Lynette.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh. So is that like a prerequisite? Now, in order to apply, you have to.
Speaker 2:That's what Nancy Valorella said.
Speaker 1:Oh, Nancy can never be a part of it.
Speaker 2:Until you change your name, you cannot be on the executive board. That goes for the rest of it.
Speaker 1:That is so funny.
Speaker 2:Kristi is a teacher in the district.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 2:Young lot of energy.
Speaker 1:Okay. No, I thought she was just the perfect person to step in and fill that void where Kristi had to step back.
Speaker 2:So yeah, so we laugh about that.
Speaker 1:Oh, wow.
Speaker 2:And Kristina's husband is Christopher.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh. Yeah, how is this possible? Yeah, you know what?
Speaker 2:someone told me once, and I don't want to get sappy, but he said Christ is in all of your names.
Speaker 1:Right. I was like wow, I didn't think of that. So yeah, so that makes me feel, wow, all right, well, listen, if it's at the center of what you're doing, then everything's going to be blessed. Yeah, wow, exactly, wow, that's amazing. Oh yeah, Do you? I do.
Speaker 2:Do, but at 60, I just turned 60 last month. I'm not doing an hour and a half commute every day.
Speaker 1:No.
Speaker 2:And it's a different world, but I learned so much I met so many great people. They were so good. I spent 10 years at Credit Suisse and another five at Deutsche Bank.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 2:And I left before 9-11., thank goodness. But I was modeling my son. He was a baby and he was a baby Ford model and we were at the World Trade Center the day before for an audition. Oh my gosh. We were called back that morning and we went in Queens and this is how old I am. I had a cassette tape on playing music in my truck. Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1:I'm kidding.
Speaker 2:My mother called me and said did you hear what happened? A plane hit the world.
Speaker 1:You got to get out of there. Okay, my husband's an air traffic controller.
Speaker 2:Yeah, soっと 잘 is what my husband would have said. Oh, that's some cowboy. Like these, private planes don't always have to if they fly through a certain altitude they don't have to talk to the controllers, so that's what my first thought? My mother goes no, I think it's a bigger plane, and I turned around and if I was coming back from Queens, I saw all the emergency vehicles going into the city. It still gives me chills when I say that to this day.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh yeah.
Speaker 2:So I miss it. I miss that fun and that camaraderie. And that's why, when people say, oh, I love working from home, I couldn't have done what I did from home, I wouldn't have gotten out of it when I got out of it, so starting a not-for-profit right your Smithtown Children's Foundation early on.
Speaker 1:what were some of the struggles that you experienced in trying to have this organization run and then also provide a solution and be a resource to the community? What were those early struggles that you guys faced?
Speaker 2:You know we had great ideas but you have to fund them. They have to be funded.
Speaker 2:So it was getting out there and letting the business community and the small business community because that's really what's in Smithtown- a lot of small businesses know who we are, what our mission was, how we helped, who we helped and why it would be beneficial for them to maybe give us support. And you know a lot of small businesses. They want to barter things. So, yeah, I'll take a meal for one of my families who mom is sick. I'll gladly take that, but I still need to fund my mission to pay medical bills, to pay rent or a mortgage or whatever. So as we tried to go out to a bigger companies, they're like who are you and you only help families in like that small area on the island and actually this upset me. But I get over things. I have big shoulders. I get over it easy. I went into a TJ Maxx I can't remember where it wasn't, it was local but and it was around the time when they had all the backpacks and lunchboxes out.
Speaker 2:I said oh my God, this is a jansper, these are so cheap. I'm going to. I had three carts of backpacks and I was going to buy them so that when we had, you know, back to school for kids who needed backpacks, we were ready with the backpack. Yeah, and I get up to the register and I have my tax exempt and the woman says Smithtown Children's Foundation. What do you do? I said, oh, we help local families in crisis. She goes like only Smithtown area. I said yeah, right now. She said, oh, I didn't know Smithtown needed a charity and I went just ring me up.
Speaker 1:Like are you kidding me? Like.
Speaker 2:I just oh, okay. Oh my goodness, so judgmental, yes Like people hurt, whether you come from Smithtown, Brentwood, Seaford, wherever you know, people and we have families whose idea of struggling may be different than a family struggling.
Speaker 1:Tragedy does not discriminate, first of all, exactly, sickness does not discriminate. So that's, that's an unfair, very ignorant statement.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're right, you're right, it was ignorant. Yeah, yeah, now I did have someone say they were doing an event for I guess it was like children in Africa to provide sneakers and clothing and stuff, and I said that's great, but I pay to belong here, without mentioning names, and really charity begins at home, doesn't it? And he said, yeah, but, chris, there's a different level of need there. And I said, okay, I understand your passion and your mission and thank you for taking the time to explain that to me, and they have since done many things for us, but it you know, everybody has a different mindset.
Speaker 1:That's right, and that's okay.
Speaker 2:We are allowed to have different opinions.
Speaker 1:It's true. Yeah, I wish. By the way I mean, this is all a tough topic I wish more people understood that we could disagree something we can agree to disagree, we can agree. Isn't that okay? That shouldn't be an option.
Speaker 2:Okay, okay, right exactly.
Speaker 1:So, as for a, now you're very I would call you a successful non-for-profit in that you've helped so many people you really have. And now and we were talking about this before the show now it's to the point where, when there is tragedy and there is a need, people are finding you, people know to call you and for me you fast forward now from the early beginnings to today. That tells me you're successful, because now the community knows and you're servicing a great need. What did that journey look like to get to where you guys are today, to be able to be sort of that like household name? You know, was there market research? Was there marketing? Like, is that part of charities at all or not really?
Speaker 2:Maybe for the bigger charities, but we like to make sure that you know the bulk of what's raised is going back to the mission of helping people Right. You know, when you see a charity that says, oh, 20% of what's raised goes to the actual I don't know cancer research, whatever, like well, 80% is administrative. We don't want to be that charity.
Speaker 2:And we're small enough that we don't have to be. I get it when you grow, things like that can happen, but I want to stay focused. I mean, I want to be the tunnel to towers. You know where? What 90 cents on every dollar goes.
Speaker 1:Oh, it's unbelievable, it's amazing what you do. So then, how do you keep those administrative costs so low and yet so many people know about you guys? What's the secret?
Speaker 2:I feel like it's a little from a lot of different people. So you know, when you have small businesses I'm not going to get a $10,000 sponsor for my golf outing, but I might get 10 $350 T whole sponsors.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know. So that kind of adds up, it builds good will, it. Also I like to when we were talking before, I like to promote the local businesses because if they thrive they can help me.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:You know, so. I realized that it's a, you know, a quid pro quo in a good way, yeah.
Speaker 1:More people need to understand. What you just said is in that even that's true for businesses in a competing market with other similar, like-minded businesses is. I think we're a lot of entrepreneurs and leaders fall short is that they look at everything as competition and competition is enemy. And that's not true, actually, because the tide rises for all ships. Exactly, we should be helping every one of us out, even if there's another business that's very similar to yours, because if we help each other out, we create a more, a healthier community, a healthier marketplace, and then there's success for everyone.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly, you know, we don't have to be in this, separate from everything.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there's a couple of examples. I have a friend who decided to start a nonprofit as she was left with funds to do so. I don't know what to do. So I said how about? What do you feel like she was? Well, you do a great golf outing. So the one year I said, okay, we'll do it together and I'll kind of show you the ropes. If you want to do a golf outing next year and go on your own, I won't be offended.
Speaker 2:We'll share the proceeds, but we have to share the sponsors that come in the golfers that come in the donations that come in, so you can work with other people and do that we just did our second music bingo night, and proceeds go to the foundation, but they also go to Smithtown's IAB which is their industry association advisory board for people who don't know what that is, and it's a great. I mean, our business department in Smithtown is ranked in the state and these kids if you've never heard them make presentations when they do the business Olympics, they're on the stage in the auditorium with slide shows like at 16, 17 years old. So professional.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, they do a great job, yeah so they wanted to fund those scholarships and actually Mary Petgraffstein was in charge of that and she retired and I scooped her right up to be on our advisory board.
Speaker 1:You're kidding. Oh my goodness, I need you right back. But wait a minute. Her name doesn't sort of fall in line with everyone, no, she?
Speaker 2:can be on the advisory board.
Speaker 1:Oh, there you go, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:She can play.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so, yeah. So she's like how about we do music bingo night? I?
Speaker 1:said okay. So we split the proceeds. We did one and we just did another one.
Speaker 2:Wow, it's a lot of fun and for me it brings in people who may not have heard about the foundation Like she's got a group of girls who play bingo. They have a name for themselves. They call themselves the bingo babes.
Speaker 1:Is that right?
Speaker 2:And they play bingo, music bingo.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so those are people who are like what's the Smith Town Children's Foundation? So yeah, so there's all that sort of thing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that happened. But yeah, there's always challenges.
Speaker 1:There's always struggles.
Speaker 2:People don't understand. People think you know, how are you gonna help me? What are you gonna? How can you help this family? I wanna keep things private. Well, we know that we're a nonprofit. That's what. When people apply, there's a form that says you understand, you're not gonna hold a sly bull if we, you know, if we mention your name. But I've never in 15 years, mentioned anybody's name in any press or in any interview.
Speaker 1:That didn't say yes, you can mention my name. I understand that I've only known you now for the past few years, and the few times that we've have met or done something together you do. You honor first of all people's privacy, and that's one thing I 100% respect about what you're doing is you know you can tell you're not looking at this for personal gain at all. You literally are in every single situation. How can I make the best use of my time and this organization to help solve a problem for someone? And that's a very rare sort of approach to things. You know and that and I and it really is, it's extraordinary, so I can vouch for her.
Speaker 2:She honors all that stuff Absolutely. I think what I did on Wall Street has attuned me a lot to that. I would have had an analyst say hey, I wanna say this about this company. What are your thoughts when?
Speaker 1:is best for me to do it.
Speaker 2:How is best for me to articulate it, that sensitivity around what the message is and how to get it, how best to get it out there. So, when we have these families who need help, I know I'm running a business and the best thing to do is to take advantage, in a good way, of let me use this story to promote what we're doing. But, at the same time, I need to be sensitive to their story and their privacy.
Speaker 2:So, you know, for people who say, hell, you really should tell more of the stories, I would love to do that and I guess if I took them in it, there are families who would love to get on and tell me, hey, the foundation did this or that for me. So you know, maybe we can do a better job at that. You know, to kind of help people understand what we do.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and listen. I get that because for people that are not as involved as you are and are not as close to various, you know, moments of tragedy in other people's lives, they truly don't understand the importance and of what you're doing and they also don't necessarily understand how deeply of these tragedies impact families. You know, they just look at it as a singular event, but they don't understand the domino effect of these tragedies and I think that allowing families to come in and if you're, let's say, if a family is listening to this right now and they're a family that you have helped. I wanna encourage you to find some strength in your story and, even if you're going through it or you've received a positive outcome, one thing that you can do, I think, is to tell your story because it will empower someone else, encourage someone else, because I get we were talking about this also is, I think there's a lot of people going through stuff and they're afraid to actually ask To raise their hand.
Speaker 1:They're afraid they're asked for help, even though they're in a situation where they need the help. You know, in life it's either where the person that can help or where the person that needs help, and we all have those moments. We sometimes flip flops and we've got to have some humility and sometimes be okay to let someone else it's okay to not be okay, right, exactly, and to say I'm not okay, right, and where we understand your tragedy and you want to be sort of alone.
Speaker 1:You don't necessarily have to go through it alone and that's why your organization is brilliant because you allow people to sometimes be anonymous, you can just come as being that helping hand to get them through that tough time. It's really extraordinary and you create a healthier community because of that. That's why I started off the show by saying if every town had a Smithtown Children's Foundation, they'd be a better town.
Speaker 2:It's funny that you say that, because back in, maybe two years into this, there was a woman who worked for Long Island Business News called Beverly Fortune and she used to produce the Long Island women of excellence 52. So they were 52 in every year.
Speaker 1:Oh sure, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So and people would nominate. So I don't remember even, it was so long ago.
Speaker 1:Who nominated us Like she?
Speaker 2:sat down with the interview and she said what do you think is so amazing about what you're doing? I said you know, it's not rocket science. We run these signature events, we put the money in the kitty, we're there as a resource for a family in crisis and then we talk to them and see how best we can help them. And she said if it were that easy, why doesn't every town have one? And I was like, huh, okay.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I get it, she has a point, she has a point.
Speaker 2:Why doesn't I mean so? At that point we talked about like we should have chapters. I said all right, well, that's great, but we're busy running our own chapter, if you will, but over the years, in 15 years, we do have six other chapters.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 2:And they have specific missions and they're run by six other people who have their own advisory board but report back to us, kind of what they're doing and how can we help and I manage their funds. Basically, we have a chapter. If I may, we have a chapter, a Hop Hop chapter and, as a woman who, you know, lives in Hop Hop, has a business in Smithtown and said how do we get one of these chapters in Hop?
Speaker 1:Hop.
Speaker 2:I said well, we did have one, but the lady who was running it had to step back. We never really kind of got it off the ground. I said I need somebody who really wants to spearhead it and she said I'll do it. Well, she recently had to step back because she's a dynamo when.
Speaker 1:I go get it.
Speaker 2:So we got another lady in Hop Hop who said I'll do this, and she too.
Speaker 2:her name is in Christine but she's great, she's a dynamo and she'll get stuff done and our mission in Hop Hop is similar to our mission in Smithtown. But then we have chapters that do very specific things and I love it because it's not. They're not tied to well. What town do you live in? So Tristan's Wish is our Wish granting chapter, and it's run by Tristan's aunt. Tristan was four years old when we had meningitis and he passed very suddenly, oh my gosh.
Speaker 2:And she and grandma would go around collecting water bottles and she would do my hair and say, wow, this foundation's a lot of work. We collect bottles in memory of my nephew. I mean I would love to do something more, but that's too much work. I said, well, tell me what you want. We just want to put a smile on a kid's face. I said, okay, so we created a DBA for Tristan's Wish. So now, if I've got a family who I need to help pay the rent and it's the five year old's birthday and they want a big present.
Speaker 2:I can't justify paying the rent and buying the present. But Tristan's Wish can buy the present.
Speaker 1:Oh, yes, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Then we have a chapter, and they all formed organically. It's not like we planned any of it. Silent Night run by a St James man who was doing a fundraiser with a guy he went to high school with whose son had a brain tumor. Boy is now in high school. He's doing very well. Happy to say that. But he said I love this, felt great, I want to do this. All the time I said what do you want to do? He goes I want to adopt kids at the families, not just kids families.
Speaker 2:I want to give them a kick, butt Christmas. He said okay, so he goes. I know what I want to call it. I go what he goes Silent Night. I go like KNITE. No, like night, like Silent Night. I go all right, whatever you want to call it, I'm fine. Basically, you're adopting families. He goes, yeah okay, makes him happy and it's providing joy to him and a purpose for him.
Speaker 2:Something that gives him pleasure. Sadly, we have a chapter called Smiles for Sean that is run by Sean's mom. Sean passed from cancer, but he made it to his 18th birthday, his high school graduation and he was a junior fire explorer in Smithtown.
Speaker 2:And he managed to become a fireman and so she said I just, I want to help people navigate a childhood cancer diagnosis. So that's what Smiles for Sean does. Then we lost another young man in the community, anthony, and his mom runs Anthony's Hope. Anthony had mental health issues and he ended up committing suicide. And she came to me not more than three months after and said I have to do something. I said what do you think? And, honey, do you want to do a scholarship in his name? Do you want to do a chapter? And she goes what does that mean? I could do a chapter, talk to me.
Speaker 2:So she runs the Anthony's Hope chapter which raises awareness of mental health issues and raises awareness about suicide prevention. So that's Anthony's Hope. And then, most recently, the lady who runs Heart, tristan's Wish her brother passed. There was a single dad with seven or eight kids, three of which he adopted. His mission was always I want to help you know he'd give the guy off the street the show office back. Yeah, the kind of guy he was so we have the heart to heart chapter, which helps single-parent households.
Speaker 2:Okay so I feel like I said, if we can get a vets, a pets and a seniors chapter, we got everything. Yeah, yeah right.
Speaker 1:Now. So, being that you've helped so many people Locally, now let's dip. If it's okay in the community, does, does like sort of the local Schools or even our local government. We've got a great you know leadership team here here in the greater town of Smithtown. Do they bring you in to collaborate like? Is there any involvement from the schools or?
Speaker 2:Okay, yeah, but I won't yeah, okay. Yes, the school district is amazing. They have since our inception like we went to Christie, went to them and said, hey, do you need backpacks and school supplies? So now, every year, we talk to every guidance and social worker in the school district. Yeah say what do you need? How many do you need? We'll get it done. We distribute it Holidays, same thing. Do you have families you need adopted? I need their list as soon as possible. Thanksgiving anybody need a meal or a gift card for food.
Speaker 1:Mmm that's.
Speaker 2:That's every year in and out and they so much appreciate that. And then they come to us with specific families that have specific issues that they just like we don't know how to address this. Yep and the social workers. They give money out of their own pocket. They buy things for these people out of their own pocket and and the school district, as I said, like, knows us, they know to come to us with things, yeah and they're supportive of us.
Speaker 2:Yeah there's a young man who passed away. He played soccer at West and his friends wanted to do a soccer tournament in his memory. And they came to us and they're like we really want to do this, but like we're not a club, like we can't use the field, we're not a club.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I said, okay, we can. The district will like rent us the field today. And it could be under our banner and our umbrella, and then also, when you collect cash, we can collect it. Now. People are getting their tax deduction right.
Speaker 1:They made a donation to a charity right and some people care about that, sure, sure.
Speaker 2:Um, and then that funds Patrick's live a full life scholarship in his memory, oh wow. So so they're good to us that way. Yeah when we used to do our holiday breakfast. They were amazing. They kind of gave us the run of the school.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:And in the right way, so that they didn't get any trouble with anybody. They're not supposed to, so the school district has been great. Okay the town has the Smithtown Youth Bureau and they're an amazing organization. Yeah, collaborate with the kids. Yeah they have their own advisory board.
Speaker 1:I asked you.
Speaker 2:They did a Bing basket and blankets Drive for us. Yeah and we were distributing the blankets not only to our local families. Yeah we also work with other people who deal with shelter families.
Speaker 1:Yeah, domestic violence, oh my gosh.
Speaker 2:And we were giving to them to distribute to families and the baskets. We can always use baskets because we are always making raffle baskets for something.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I, I remember last year yeah, what, when you attended the opening day for Nesca's athletic association, which you're invited back to always? Yeah, you had the baskets there and, by the way, they were a big hit. Exactly, they couldn't wait to give you guys money to get a ticket for, to win one of the baskets. Like they're really lovely, like they're amazing.
Speaker 2:I make most of them.
Speaker 1:Do you really?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I. That feeds my creative need and and also my shopping need, because I was always a bit of a shop of holly. Yep, just ask my husband. Yeah, so I'll go into Marshall's and go. Oh, this would be great in a basket. Yes you know, we get a lot of donations. Yeah but you have to supplement the basket of course, something that catches the eye or you know it's on little Chachki. Yeah it says Yankee candle Excellent.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so, yeah, so we do the baskets. But the youth bureau is good to us. We did a Smithtown. Youths got talent a number of years ago.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay, okay, like we again yeah, it was their idea.
Speaker 2:We're like, okay, how can we help them realize this? Yes now they're doing, they're gonna do collect prom dresses. Okay like a shopping night where the girls can come in and you're kidding dressed and they said can you do you?
Speaker 1:want to. Oh, so we're just working that out now, Sure but it's, it's a partnership. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and, like I mentioned the IAB, that we Partner with them to help fund both of our scholarships. And also the town. You mentioned the town officials, the town government. We just did the pickleball tournament. Leslie and John Kennedy came down to check. Oh yeah, okay sweet and the town officials. They adopt families Every year.
Speaker 2:Oh wow, they take on family or wow and also the sunrise Rotary and the Regular Rotary. The Smithtown Rotaries are amazing, you know, and and even I'm part of the Wisconsin Chamber Like I can't join them all. Yeah, yeah, yeah but they know how to get me.
Speaker 1:Sure, you know, they know if they need me, sure, I want you to speak at this.
Speaker 2:I want you to talk about this upcoming.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Yes, can you help us with something?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, amazing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean this, this, the, the town, the community. This is also a special place, your special person. You got a great organization and we're fortunate to live in a really great community. Yeah, and it seems like there's a lot of people willing to give a helping hand. And one thing I noticed is, you know, at the events you have, there's a lot of people, it seems, that are like really excited about helping you with various stuff. Like how did you get to that? Like how did people just sort of buy into this philosophy, the, the mission that you guys have, and why are so many people inspired and excited to, to be a part of this?
Speaker 2:It's. It's so funny. I always, when a new business comes in, yeah, and they reach out to us, I'm like, yes, we're doing something right. They want to know how they can get involved or you know. I just had them, subaru do their operation, warm coats. Oh, okay and we, they delivered yeah. I think 150 coats to us that, oh my gosh we're gonna distribute in the fall.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's too late for this year. They do it in January.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we kind of like to give them out in December, so so, yeah, so, so there's things like that, but I feel like it was, just, as I said, very organically grown like let's do this. Oh, hey, did that work? Yeah, that's good, we should do that again. Yeah and as we ran, we also. You know, the holiday breakfast, for example, is in December. How many things are in December in the community? Oh, a ton look at this fair that that yeah, yeah you know everybody has something going on.
Speaker 2:So we would say, okay, when is it? When one of these other events or let's book are so far in advance that people will see?
Speaker 1:this is when theirs is.
Speaker 2:Let's stay away from that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so just to be respectful.
Speaker 2:Yeah of what else was going on, cuz I don't want to go ahead, I don't want to waste anybody's time.
Speaker 1:The chamber did a Smithtown.
Speaker 2:Chamber would do like a ball. I can't think of what it was called.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:And we would say Barbara, when is that? Because, we want to do our tasting event and we don't want to conflict with when you're doing your event yeah. So it's just about communicating with people. And again I think back to my trading for days.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. What do you want to get on? You know, yeah, but yeah, so you brought up some of the chambers. You got NIST concert Chamber of Commerce, you got Smithtown Chamber of Commerce. Um, especially, let's talk about, I guess, smithtown. We're in Smithtown, there's the word Smithtown's in your name, right, so let's talk about that chamber. I noticed there's something different and unique about the Smithtown Chamber than other chambers that I have been introduced to over the years from all over the place, not just in this in Suffolk County, but NASA County and even out of the state. There seems to be something different about this particular chamber or the people in it. Is it the town? Is it the community? You know what they're so involved.
Speaker 2:I think it's, uh, I think it's a, it's a good energy. There's a lot of, there's a lot of offshoots. There's um the young young professionals young professionals advisory board or whatever. So you know they're dynamic and they want to get more done.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:And then they do their, their normal events, like the running of the bull that they do every year, right, yeah. Um, we even I mean, I talk about the town, I'm sorry, it's not the chamber, but the senior center came to us this year and said we want to adopt a family. Oh wow, I said well you got a lot of people and you know, do they want to shop or they looking for gift cards.
Speaker 2:I go maybe the best way to do this this year we have an upside down Christmas tree. It's literally upside down and we say turn someone's life right side up.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 2:Hang ornaments on it with a gift card with our mailing address on there, oh wow. So they did a drive for that and they she called me our seniors. We had $2,100 in gift cards. They they collected from the seniors.
Speaker 1:Amazing Senior center, amazing.
Speaker 2:And I did nothing. I gave you the tree. I set it up with the ornaments.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I gave everything back to me and I got picked those up, probably December 20th and then December 22nd, where the apartment fires at Avalon.
Speaker 1:Oh gosh.
Speaker 2:Eight families displays.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, that was bad.
Speaker 2:They needed everything.
Speaker 1:I didn't want to get into buying clothes for people I didn't know or taking loading donations, because we've done that too, when there's a family out there, of course, of course.
Speaker 2:But we said gift cards, gift cards gift cards, oh yeah. Yeah, we got pretty much to every family.
Speaker 1:That's amazing. I remember that. I mean that smoke was building everywhere and everyone was chatter chattering Like what's going on here.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, and they wouldn't, they wouldn't. I said they wouldn't let the bus in from the school.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but you were like right there.
Speaker 2:Yeah Well, and I live across the street, like behind the water mill, so I am literally right there.
Speaker 1:Oh, so that's why I'm like because I saw a picture I'm like how is she already there? I'm like she's like superwoman. I'm not even kidding. I remember seeing a picture and I'm like I can't believe she's already there. It's amazing.
Speaker 2:Well, the people were so grateful.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And I put it out there on social, because people this is the thing People want to mobilize. And again I go back to my trading floor.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:A salesman would say do you see this stock? Is this analyst going to talk?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Trader, do you see this stock? I have a position in this. The investment banker are we going to talk about, so now I go to the analysis what are? We doing? Did you talk to the company? What are you hearing? Let's get the and they're being pulled in the direction. They're phones ringing from all these people and I say turn off your phones.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Figure out what you want to say Focus.
Speaker 1:They get down here on the Hooten Hall of the Squawk. Box and tell everybody simultaneously Right right, right so when something like that happens.
Speaker 2:I know I'm mobile, I know how to mobilize. I don't find that an issue, so that's exactly what I did, and around Facebook I said look, I'm getting more information. Everyone wants to help.
Speaker 2:They don't know what they need right now. They don't even know when they can get back in. They don't know what's salvageable, what's not. They're talking to the Red Cross, they're figuring out where they're going to live. I have dishes, I have furniture. That's wonderful. But they may not know if they need that for another week or two. So I immediately put up a Facebook fundraiser and then I gave people updates. So I think the community appreciated that we want to help. We don't know how to help and now there's a place that we can go to get updates to see what's going on.
Speaker 2:And so we did gift cards, maria's Mexican and Wisconsin. She gave me gift cards for all eight families to come have a nice meal.
Speaker 1:She's amazing.
Speaker 2:Which I thought was very sweet.
Speaker 1:We have great restaurants.
Speaker 2:We have a lot of great businesses.
Speaker 1:The best restaurants. I will say yes.
Speaker 2:Really giving, and I'm not a restaurateur, but I know how small their profit margins are and how what their costs are like these days. So I appreciate everything they do for us, but that could be a whole nother podcast, so we did gift cards. Maria stepped up. We later on coordinated with people who had furniture and who needed furniture.
Speaker 2:But in the immediate aftermath of this it was December 22nd four of the families had kids. We coordinated presents. The fire department gave me gifts for them. They collected, donated Wisconsin collected funds and wrote a check to go to the families. Just amazing. We had Santa go to the hotel on Christmas Eve, did you?
Speaker 1:really For one of the families. Oh wow, I love the hotel.
Speaker 2:The mom said to me she's in the hotel. She thinks she's on holiday. She wants to go in the pool and I had to say, honey, you don't even have a bathing suit, and it's December, I can't get one. I said here, here's an Amazon gift card.
Speaker 1:Go buy one, you'll have a bathing suit. Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2:She's like thank you so much.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 2:So you know we did that kind of thing. So it's the kind of stuff you're not going to, it's not going to be on paper in our statement of okay, this is what we'll do for you.
Speaker 1:It's just kind of you love this, don't you? I do?
Speaker 2:I do.
Speaker 1:I really love you know it's interesting, like for me, I look at various things in life like a chest match. That's just how my brain works right and I could tell, like you really love to problem solve, don't you, you could tell. Like you have this analytical mind and you love being able to say like all right, here's a family. I see their struggles, I can help them. Let me do my thing.
Speaker 2:Like you can't wait, let me get in there. Well, listen, with the house my husband goes, I'll get out of the way. I mean he knew it was three days before Christmas. We're making cookies. I'm trying to cook. I'm like okay, what can we do to help you? He knows, at this point, you know just get out of your way, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, oh my gosh.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:All right. So two more questions for you. One I'll put you on the hot seat. I'm going to answer ask, sit up straight. This is going to be a random question from the community that they, they, you know they delivered a bunch of questions and so you're going to get a random one. So it could be anything. I like that. But first let's talk about and let's just really break this down. Local terms are very direct. People that are listening, they're inspired right now. I have no doubt they're like wow, this is amazing, I want to get involved Right. So, for someone who's listening, how can someone get involved? And then, what's the best way that people can help?
Speaker 2:Okay. So to get involved multiple ways volunteer at an event and we, we work with a lot of high school kids, middle school kids at the pickle bolts ornament, helping us. I mean never too young or too old to be a volunteer for us. Attend the events, sponsor an event. I always I tell my advisory board look, I can't keep going to the same restaurants and businesses I frequent for that $25, $50, $100 gift card for our raffles. You go to different restaurants than me. You asked your restaurants. You're a customer of theirs, so that's always helpful. If you want to be, maybe, on our advisory board and help in that way, always, never, will never turn down promoting new businesses if they help us in our mission. And in fact, when we did the pickleball tournament, I had been trying to get with the manager at pickle and pour for near a year since they opened, because I'm like they're a new business, people need to know about them. Well, the reason they couldn't get to him is because they were so busy. Pickleball people are crazy for pickleball.
Speaker 1:It's the hottest sport right now.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's crazy. And then when we set the tournament, they were amazing to us. I mean, basically no members could play all day because we took their courts for the day and they were so generous to us. But my point is, it filled up in like two weeks and they basically you know, they didn't know me, but they were told this is the Smithtown Children's Foundation.
Speaker 2:They have local families and now they're like we want to get involved, we want to do more, we want to sponsor other events. So if you are a local business, you know a local business, you work at a local business and you want to help raise your profile, let us help you. Obviously, we want your help in return.
Speaker 1:We want reciprocal.
Speaker 2:But those are really the best ways to do it.
Speaker 1:Then also give the website, if you could, and other means of contact.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, you can always. The website is smithtownchildrenfoundationcom. My email and cell phone is all over that. It's the one that's fit. Fitzybbcf at optonlinenet. You'll always reach me there. We're on Instagram, we're on Facebook.
Speaker 1:We have multiple pages out there Now for people that maybe don't have the time to get involved, but they do want to be able to help you financially. Is there the means of donating on your website as well? Yes, yes, yeah.
Speaker 2:On the Smithtownchildren's Foundation there's a button right at the top that says donate. You can make it a I love Tunnel to Towers. Does there $11 a month, those recurring donations? Even if it's $2 a month, whatever it is it's income that's coming in that helps fund a 99% volunteer organization.
Speaker 1:Holy cow, that's amazing. And then upcoming events. What's the most immediate need that you have right now, whether it be event-based or family-based, what is something that we can help as a community today?
Speaker 2:Okay, so the event that's coming up March 2nd is a polar plunge. I will not be plunging.
Speaker 1:I run the event but I do not plunge. I got you.
Speaker 2:But last year we had 100 people do it. Wow, there was a ton of fun. The Smithtown Bay Yacht Club lets us host it there. So, for people who do these polar plunges. We were told look, they're going to come in, they're going to get undressed, they're going to run in the water, they're going to come out, change their socks, put a hat on and leave, it'll be quick. Yeah Well, the Smithtown Bay Yacht Club lets us come inside, and then they come inside.
Speaker 1:We have raffle baskets, we have hot cocoa and coffee and we have donuts from duck donuts and bagels from Boulevard Bagels and coffee from Sweep Waters.
Speaker 2:So they want to come back inside. So it's a fun event, always looking for sponsors. We get good local press comes down there. The fire department puts the boat in the water. It makes it very official. So that's a great event, even if you want to come and just laugh at somebody who's looked to do it. Amazing, because I don't.
Speaker 2:And then, as far as non-event but family related, we are trying to do something for a young lady whose dad is very sick and we're not sure what the event's going to be yet, but we are going to have a fundraiser. So anytime, look, you can donate at any time to the website. But when we have events, something may move you. I may not put the young lady's picture on it. When you're a high school student. You really don't want your picture all over the place.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You're someone's doing a fundraiser for you. So again, it's the privacy. We want to try and keep it private, but we may put something out about that event in the next couple of weeks.
Speaker 1:Gotcha, stay tuned for that, all right. So actually I'm going to add one more before I get to the last question. I want to give you an opportunity, if you know, give your elevator pitch right Someone who has never met you before, you've never heard of the organization, although I find that hard to believe right, but they've never heard of it before and you got them for like a minute.
Speaker 1:You've got 60 seconds of their time. What do you say to them that explains who you are, what you represent and the importance of what you do?
Speaker 2:And again, this is what I had made the analysts do when I worked on a trading floor. I don't want to hear you five-minute story. What's your pitch? Let's go. Traders and salesmen want one minute explanation. The traders want the 10 second yeah.
Speaker 2:So the Smith Town Children's Foundation is a non-for-profit, 15 years strong, helps local families in crisis, from bill paying to sending kids to camp and preschool. We supply backpacks and school supplies, thanksgiving meals and gift cards. We adopt families at the holidays and we're there as a resource for the things that maybe people don't understand, they need or know that there's that resource out there. Yeah, really, that's my pitch.
Speaker 1:Well done. And then the question that someone asked is you can go back 16 years and you've got a gift. You can go to 16 years and go to yourself that's from 16 years ago but you only have 30 seconds to talk to yourself, right, and it's a private conversation. The genie just takes you back there, right? What's the one thing that you're going to tell yourself that's going to help you do an even better job today?
Speaker 2:Oh wow, that's a doozy right.
Speaker 1:That's a doozy right. A line blown yeah.
Speaker 2:But one thing that's going to help me do a better job today Correct.
Speaker 2:Well, I think in my own personal feeling is that I could have better listening skills. As much as I feel like I, when someone talks, I hear what they're saying. I don't want to jump on them. I feel like sometimes I jump on them because what I want to say is so important. I have to say this, but I feel like my excuse is it's because I don't want to forget. I'm going to forget what I want, what my train of thought was, but usually it's probably because I'm not listening as well as I could be.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's actually. That's really good advice. You know, I recently had a conversation with someone somewhat on this topic and they also gave an answer that was not typical to how people typically respond, because a lot of responses that I've heard in the past had to send her around like the one crazy like technology or education or thing that'll make me more money. But it's so nice and refreshing to hear things like that because I think it's underrated. Listening is an underrated skill. What a nice piece of advice to give yourself.
Speaker 2:I wish someone told me that when I was younger. Well, and also in the world we live in, where everything is in social media, sound rights snippets, like to step back and actually listen to what someone's saying. Go, yeah, yeah. What's the point? What were you trying to just tell me? Tell me your elevator pitch. No, stop and listen to what they're saying. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Amazing. Well, thank you so much for joining and sharing your passion and your heart for what you do. It is so.
Speaker 2:It's a pleasure.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we got to have you back because obviously you can chat for all these things for a while. I got a story and you got stories to tell and we want to hear it, without a doubt. But definitely check out Smithtown Children's Foundation and to learn about everything that they do for the community here and for all the families in the community. It's a really big deal. They need more people to come alongside them to help them out, and if you don't have the time, then maybe you can contribute a couple bucks and, because that goes a long way, always couple Yep, yep, absolutely. Those are the resources that you are putting in the hands of people that need it most.
Speaker 2:Charity begins at home, exactly. I always say that Exactly so.
Speaker 1:I appreciate you. Everyone needs to go find them and guys, as always, thanks for tuning in. And remember don't fear the process and don't fear grit. We'll see you next time, Take care.